charts, facts, figures

I have that momentary (I'm sure) feeling of peace and mild calm that always comes after you've cleaned your room. Granted, this calm is slightly shattered by the caffeine spike that comes with having finished a venti latte and needing to eat some dinner type thing, but still.

I am actually almost on top of things at the moment. I finished the Inquiry paper (of Doom and Annoyance, which really sums up many papers) and turned it in only... two weeks late? *disarming smile* Mostly it's because I totally took overadvantage of the fact that my extension didn't really have an end date.

AND! I finished my Phonics project and turned IT IN TOO. I am made of awesomeness. Or slight productivity. What remains in a portfolio due on Friday which I need to do some work on tonight (wheeee graphic picturey representations of my teaching philosophy, whut) and a Curriculum due on Tuesday which is coming together quite nicely, God bless my group members. They are so organized.... aha, that's where it's coming from. Run! The productivity is contagious! Ewwwwwwwww. XD

I also successfully taught mixed numbers (i.e. 2 and 1/3 or whatever) to my third graders with mostly comprehension, which is key. I also subbed this afternoon and prevailed in not flinging the noisy ones out the window. I feel this is a vast accomplishment.

Part of this feeling of accomplishment is due to the fact that one of the kids, right before we left, gave me a note (on a sticky note):

You rock. Thank you for putting up with us. - Kid's name

Have died of cute. Metaphorically, otherwise I will not graduate. Aheh.

Finally, deeeeeeear anxiety system (some people have nervous systems, I feel mine has progresed into an anxious system): no more anxiety attacks in the middle of third grade. Prickly stomach and pains in hip to stop now please. Partly because, wtf, pains in hip? Craziness. Also, irritiating. Loooooooove, Me

Life continues apace. I have an observation in class on Wednesday morning, lots of work due tomorrow that... isn't done yet. But in other news?

I am weak. *BEAMS*

So, things could be worse. But they could probably also be better. Such is the way. To conclude, heartily glad that the nightmare I was having this morning about my dad was indeed a dream. Though I called him anyways, just to say hi. *snuggles my parents*

And now... sleep of the procrastinatory and tired.

So, there's this annotated bibliography... thing that's due... tomorrow. Which I'm so not really into writing (nor having much of it written). Oops? The syllabus (which I've misplaced, because I'm just THAT cool) says it "can't be longer" than 12 pages. Do they feel that this is likely? It's only 5 articles, people, with an introduction and conclusion (and, you know, the annotations). Granted, mine is barely 2 pages, but I'm mostly just making shit up on a paper so I have something. We'll get there, but oh wow, it'll be a long night.

And I'm teaching math tomorrow. Square products. Oh wow. And, you know, reading Bunnicula Strikes Again! Because I'm just that cool.

Oh crapness. Off to type... something.

Another exciting thing ('cause it seems to be that kind of weekend) is that on Friday I got my file number from the NY Dept of Ed saying I have a sub license! Which means that I am legally allowed to be the "authority" in the classroom when my teacher's not there. Wahoo! And, according to the website, the current rate of pay for subs in NYC is 144.60 per day. Awesome. So hey, if you're at loose ends what to do, I say be a substitute. It's better than nothing! And kids are cute!

NYC schools have a week of vacation, so I get to be a "just" a grad student again this week, which is almost overwhelmingly exciting. Tonight, Playwright!Twin is having a reading of her play "Blood Makes the Grass Grow", which is set at a rugby social. Hopefully Shannon and E will come, because they played rugby at the Mawr and will doubly appreciate it. I wish I had my rugby t-shirt to wear. Sad. It is in California.

My life is... mildly full, at the moment, so I need to spend some part of today looking a calendar and planning. Although that might just be the two vanilla lattes talking. *jitter*

OMG so much to do. A wee bit over-scheduled, me. Or at least too much caffeine. Whee.

marriedtothesea.com

*cracks up* And they say teaching will never get you anywhere? Had my second observation today (I taught the kids probability using colored cubes in plastic bags. Too cute) Went very well, so chalk it up next to my "great" read aloud last week. Fortunately I churned out my "school inquiry prospectus" (or some vague approximation therein) and have a draft of the science lesson... I taught two days ago. Excellent for planning. Except not at all.

But still, fairly productive, and it's only 7! Wow.

*



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MY TRANSCRIPTS ARE HERE! MY TRANSCRIPTS ARE HERE! THE BRITISH ARE COMING!!! Sorry, it seemed the other appropriate thing to shout, even without any British.

But my college transcripts are FINALLY here, which means I can finally turn in all my paperwork for my sub license and legally be alone in the classroom with the kids. Which would be all kinds of fabulous :o) Now I just need to go get a money order from the post office. Whee.

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay, money for being with my kids. And this also means I could go sub at my old school with the ickle firsties. Awwwwwwww. *falls over with the cute*

I was sitting out in the hall doing a word sort with one of my kids, and another three were reading their book group mystery books silently (an Encyclopedia Brown), technically a "break book" because they had finished the assigned reading and were 'taking a break' to wait for the rest of their group. Another member of their group, Leo, was reading the assigned chapter of Nancy Drew and... Whatever it was so he could be caught up with his group. I was thus privy to the following hysterical conversation.

Juliet: Reading a break book is so boooooring.
Leo: But you can't read our book because I'm not caught up yet.
Juliet: Then read faster!
Leo: You have to wait for me to be done because otherwise I'll never catch up. It's like parallel lines!

This, coupled with the fact that I had spent the morning stressing the importance of parallel in parallelogram, made me almost lose it in the hallway. Too funny. I love kids.

I almost know everyone's name. Even though I called one girl her actual name only once out of three times. Oops? If only all these darn kids would stop looking so bizzarely alike! Gosh...

And I get to type up a whole pile of their "All About" (i.e. informational) books. It's gonna be so much fun.

It will no longer be any suprise to anyone how much of a DORK I am about this teacher stuff. I mean, seriously.

Well, I've officially been fingerprinted by the state of New York, so I guess I'll have to cross off "sexy yet sarcastic criminal" off my possible career list. Pity. XD

It definitely took up about 2 hours, mostly because it was the kind of thing where they sent you to this floor for that sheet, then stand in this line, then go over here, then stand in that line. Fun fun. Then I mailed all my letters and spent too much money at Duane Reed filling my prescription and buying conditioner and kleenex. Whee.

I have a "retreat" for student teaching tomorrow, which really means that they're getting us all in one room to talk at us for the whole day. About... nothing, I'm guessing. AND then they're sneaking in a class at the end, which is way cheating, I feel. But at least it'll be warm? I dunno. I'm excited about my new classroom on Wednesday (I'm teaching third grade), and hopefully my body will acclimate to the whole "we are now on the East Coast, and it's bedtime" thing. I got a really small amount of sleep last night, but I figure between trying to go to sleep early tonight and having to get up and stay up for most of tomorrow, I'll get closer.

So, highly productive, all around. Now if it wasn't so cold. Brrrr. It almost makes me not want to have a soda. Yet, I feel I can survive the shiveryness of it for the caffeine. Mmmm. Think I'll do that and enjoy the last chapter or two of the Rex Stout novel I'm reading. If you haven't read a Nero Wolfe (and Archie Goodwin) mystery, you really should. They're quite excellent. And comfortingly similiar from book to book.

When I was home last weekend, I found my copy of Great Big Sea DVD & CD so I can listen to all their live version again. It got eaten off my iPod a while back, so this is tons of fun *bounces*

I survived my last paper, turning in a whole pile of work in a binder all tabbed and labeled. Hopefully it was actually coherent. *snerk* Seeing as I went to bed at 1:15 (which incorporates 45 minutes of a panic attack), it's kind of impressive. Amusingly, our professor polled all of us about the amount of sleep we got. 5 hours was pretty popular; two highly organized souls got a full 8 hours (that will NEVER be me) while one of my friends only got 1 hour. Ouch.

Suffice it to say that Thursday was a day of wayyyyy too much caffeine. I definitely started drinking a diet coke at 8:45 in the morning. It was bad. But it was to bolster me up for my students performance about families. Which, with the party, took ALLL morning. The rest of the day was a little chaotic, as all the kids were overhyped and a little jittery. *shamefaced* My math lesson made a girl cry. Though that was mostly because she doesn't understand it than because of the day. Poor dear.

In broad strokes, the next week needs to consist of the following things:

final student teaching evaluation for meeting (Monday)
an essay with process log (Tuesday)
letter detailing my growth in class (Tuesday)
mini-lesson with all important parts (Tuesday)
last log and journal entry (Tuesday)
Porfolio (Thursday)
Student teaching hours (Thursday?)

This is not including fiddly things like laundry, returning library books, and hitting Staples for Xmas cards, mailing envelope and something adorable I can make for my kids.

So yeah, a little busy. But it's almost Christmas, and the smell of trees on almost every corner is kind of gorgeous. I'm such a holiday nerd. It's the only thing that makes the OMG freezing weather midly bearable.

California in 8 days!!!

I need to see Vienna Teng at some point, because her music is absolutely... ravishing, for lack of another word. I also love "Harbour" more than lots of things. It's right up there with "Book of Love", honestly. Song that just... get you, right there. All Will Be Well, by The Gabe Dixon Band, equally.

I survived Parent/Teacher Conferences, and so did the parents. One of them didn't show up who said they would, and only one didn't ever come at all (though she hadn't signed up, and never returns our calls, so no too suprising). And no one freaked out, on either side. Although there are MANY funny stories and awkward moments that continue to amuse my teacher and I that I will have to post about when it's not almost 11pm. In other news, I get to teach the use of the "caret" tomorrow in Writers Workshop, which amuses me. Maybe just because I think it's funny that I'm teaching about... a symbol. Hee.

Yes, I'm weird. Shaddup.

In other news, it's one of those curl up with a blanket times of the month. Not that I can, I mostly just overtake Alleve and suck it up. But still, comfy clothes and caffeine tomorrow is a MUST. And I made lunch (mmmm, pb&j *is five*)! Go me :o)

In other freaky news, Mom went in to get an MRI (she had been having a weird eye muscle thing and it was freaking her out) but it turns out she's totally fine. I'll just be the puddle of delayed stress reaction, over here. *wibbles*

Hope all's well (and all manner of things will be well?) with you, dearies. I'm off to dose up on my painkillers and curl into a ball bed. Night!